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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. race — a contest
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rock — music
  19. race — humankind
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hand — help
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com